2011年1月23日星期日

Fishing Rod Action Definition

An accepted definition of "Fishing Rod Action" is defined as the relative resistance to bending as you move down the length of a particular fly rod. Fast Action rods tend to resist bending sooner than Slow Action rods. Thus Slow Action rods tend to be more "whippy" and will not cast as far as Fast action rods will cast. Fast Action rods tend to generate higher line speeds which make them easier to cast into the wind and for longer distances. Between the two extremes, there are Moderate Action rods. You need to cast any rod to determine if the Action suits your style of casting.

Another way to explain "Fishing Rod Action" is to say action is determined by the point at which a rod "initially' flexes and where it "stops" bending. This point is determined by the "taper" of the rod. The higher up the blank the faster the rods action and the smaller the distance an angler must move the rod to set the hook.

Another feature of "Fishing Rod Action" is the effect it will have on your casting distance, even casting accuracy. The more parabolic the rod the greater it will bend and the more energy it stores on the back swing before release, when the lure leaves the rod.

The following are descriptions of the features and benefits of the different fishing rod action ratings.

X-Fast - The tip of these rods will bend little. Only the uppermost section of the tip in fact. The faster action rods are best suited for fishing heavier cover. The fast tip enables the angler to apply more pressure on the bass and horse it out of thick cover and to do so quickly. However, the faster the action of a rod the more casting distance and accuracy is compromised. Fast action rods are well suited for flipping and pitching as distance to target is short and accurate casts easier. They also perform well with Texas or Carolina rigged worms and jigs. They telegraph light bites well and shut down (stop bending) quick so they need not be moved but a short distance to set the hook.

Fast - Rods that are fast action have tips that bend somewhere around a point 25-30% down the rod tip. Since they are more sensitive, due to their greater flexibility, they are seen as the best choice when fishing "single hook" techniques. Fast tip rods will enable the angler to detect lighter bites but while still providing sufficient backbone for solid hook sets.

Medium - Medium action rods will bend around the middle point of the rod. They offer a bit better casting ability than a fast or x-fast tip as their increased flex allows the rod to load up more energy facilitating long casts. Medium action rods are a good choice for live bait and smaller artificial lures.

Slow - Think half-moon and you'll have a mental image of a slow action rod bend. Such rods are "parabolic" in nature. The rod flexes from the tip to the butt. A soft action rod absorbs the sudden runs and lunges of a bass enabling the angler to play or work the fish, especially at close distance. At long range it's another story. In that circumstance the softness of the rod can actually work against the angler's control of the bass. The softness of a rod also allows for use of lighter line. The slow action absorbs the shock of setting the hook when using light line reducing the likelihood of breakage. However, It is also more difficult to set the hook in the tough mouth of a bass with light line and a soft action rod. Why, because less force is transferred to the hook. Because they are parabolic, soft action rods "load up" or store more energy than other action rods. This means they will cast lures a country mile but that doesn't do you much good when you try to set the hook on a lunker 50-60' away and can't exert enough force to drive the hook into its tough jaws.